Sunday, 18 October 2026

Remains of the oldest known shipwreck in the Mediterranean found off Kekova Island

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Remains of the oldest known shipwreck in the Mediterranean found off Kekova Island

Off the island of Kekova on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, in the province of Antalya, the remains of a vessel have been found at a depth of about 30 metres, and are believed to be the oldest known shipwreck in the Mediterranean. The find is dated to the Bronze Age, between 4,400 and 4,700 years ago. The shape of the amphorae is compared with vessels from Egypt and the Near East.

The hull of the ship has not survived. More than 30 amphorae and three large stone anchors remain on the seabed. Judging by the volume of the cargo, the vessel was about 9 m long. Scholars believe that the ship set out from a port of the eastern Mediterranean, was bound for north-western Anatolia or Crete, and sank in the treacherous waters off the island. Traces of contents in the intact amphorae show that it may have been olive oil, wine or tree resin

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